This year’s soyabean harvest in the European Union (EU) is expected to total around 2.8M tonnes – just under 16% more than last year and the largest crop in six years, according to forecasts by the EU Commission (EC) reported by Germany’s Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP).
Italy, with a forecast harvest of 1M tonnes – a 15.6% year-on-year rise – was expected to remain the largest producer within the EU in 2023, the 7 June report said.
The EC also expected soyabean supplies in other member states to exceed the previous year’s level. France, the second largest EU supplier, was projected to see a 17% increase to 438,000 tonnes.
Romania’s harvest, which was currently forecast at 394.000 tonnes, would probably increase even more, with a rise of 63% compared to 2022 expected.
Production in Croatia and Hungary was forecast to reach 251,000 tonnes and 171,000 tonnes respectively, increases of 30% and 35%.
In contrast, producers in Germany were expected to harvest around 24.8% less than last year – 91,000 tonnes – from a significantly reduced area.
Similarly, Austria’s harvest, which was currently forecast at 212,000 tonnes, was expected to drop just under 14% less than the previous year’s level.
According to research by Agrarmarkt Informations-Gesellschaft, the forecast increase in the bloc’s total soyabean supply would be due to higher yields as the EU’s soyabean area – at 994,000ha – would be 98,000ha smaller than last year.
The decline in German production area to the 2021 level was due to the positive price development of other crops, such as wheat, at the time of planting last year, according to UFOP.
